TRIGUN 3 point zero
by Ninjaofthenight
Summary: AU: Vash meets a girl tormented her entire life, who idolized him as a child, and wished to meet him. But how can she meet him, when she lives 200 years after his era? Time is a mysterious thing, and to know its secrets is to posses unlimited power.
1. Prologue

Everyone has a hero when they are growing up... Mine just so happened to be Vash the Stampede... I was never like the other kids; my idol was a destructive cowboy that lived almost 200 years ago... I always loved to hear stories about the infamous Vash.  
  
The sad, sandy, arid, and almost uninhabitable planet is now over populated and all life balances with one man, the man with all the power...  
  
This man is evil and greedy. I do not know why I ever believed he was kind... but that was before... before he stole my life... My caretaker, my father figure, his name was Michael. The very brother of the world's leader. I almost married his brother. I hadn't a choice. Don't get me wrong; I hate the man... I could've killed him when I had the chance, but I didn't. I could have been the wealthiest person in the universe but I chose not to.  
  
"Why wouldn't I?" you ask. I loved Michael dearly, with all my heart. He was the most warm and caring person I have met. He's dead now. All because of that dirtbag, he called brother. His brother wanted me. But why? I was still a child and he wanted my hand in marriage. There had to be some reason... There was... Let me tell you the story in logical order... From the beginning.  
  
(If you do not want to read the first chapter, because there is no live Vash or anything, YET, you may skip it, it is just explaining my past. And thanks in advanced if you'll stick with it for 10 or so pages, you'll better understand my past. The 2nd chapter is where all kinds of trigun- ish stuff begins. But a word to the wise- it will make so much more sense if you just goddamn read a few pages, if it means more comprehension. ) 


	2. For Michael

I was 7 or so, I did not attend school. Every once in a while I would question Michael why I was not like the other children, "You are very special. No one else in the whole world is like you." Michael would smile warmly at me and put his hand on my face.  
  
Michael was a scientist. One of the best. He had a pretty wife, but she had died before I could meet her.  
  
We lived inside an enviro-dome. It was a fake environment, inside a bubble. Only the lucky ones were allowed to live inside domes. We lived in a feudal Japanese-like environment. Everyone else lived outside, where the factory smoke and sky scrapers were so dense, it was overwhelming to almighty god. I saw it as a plague, the fall of human kind as we knew it. Michael's brother, Cain, saw it as money. That's all he ever cared about; Power and money. The greedy bastard, he sickens me.  
  
Michael wore a silky green kimono with gold trimmings. His face was warm and caring, wise even. He had deep-blue eyes of sapphire, which I admired, and glittered in any light. His hair was black as night and that was a beautiful contrast to his complexion. His hair was tied loosely, and it rested on the back of his neck. Wisps of hair usually fell in front of his face, just a few here and there, which made his portrait more complex. Those sapphire eyes showed compassion, love, caring, mixed with a bit of deep sadness.  
  
Cain on the other hand was a bitter and cruel dictator. If you took Adolph Hitler and Saddam Hussein and mixed them together, gave it unlimited power of the human race, you would most definitely get Cain Raigon. (RYE-GONE) He always wore a malicious smirk. His eyes were dark brown (The color of shit. It suits him well.) and greedy, that burned for a never-ending hunger for power. But when you have reached the very top there is not more you can do. Just kill, destroy, and make money. Cain's hair was long and blonde, a dark, dark blonde, like wheat or barely. Nothing like Vash's, his was a bright blonde. Cain's hair was all combed over to one side and it stuck like that. Some covered his eye a bit but you could see his eye just fine.  
  
I hate to admit it because that's what he wanted but Cain scared me. He always looked so demonic. Maybe he was also the devil himself. When Cain did things to me at his leisure, he looked the most frightening. His eyes would be wide and glossy; you could see his incisors though his psychotic smile when he did this to me... He enjoyed inflicting pain on others... especially me. If I had ever given in, and did not fight Cain back, and did his every command without a sound, he would be disappointed and probably beat me until I would to begin to rebel again. Or he might have had me killed, who knows. But I was no different than a showpiece. I was never treated like a human. More like a talking dog, or an android, or a priceless vase...  
  
Enough of that. Lets get to the events. Michael and I sat at the table, not with chairs, with pillows. "Mikey?" I asked.  
  
"Yes, Rain?" He replied. Yes, my name is Rain. My hair was light blue and a bit curly. I had a pink bow on the back of my head. My eyes were blue, sorta dark, but not as gorgeous as Michael's. I wore a purple kimono dress with blue trimmings.  
  
"Mikey, was Vash tall?" I inquired. He smiled.  
  
"You're always carrying on about Vash the Stampede, what's so cool about him?" He asked, half-jokingly.  
  
"Cuz he's special, just like me! I want to be just like Vash the Stampede!" I exclaimed finishing the last of my ramen. I was sitting cross- legged on the silver pillow. The table was placed right in front of a long cabinet. On the cabinet was a picture of Michael wife and he having a picnic. I admired his wife. They were so happy looking.  
  
"You do?" Michael questioned in a higher voice, he finished the last of his ramen.  
  
"Yep! Vash was cool! He didn't mean to make a big mess all the time, it was accidents." I said, pride-filled. ...I had bad grammar... I studied the picture of his wife, and her long purple hair floating in the wind. She was wearing a white summer dress, and Michael had on a baggy t-shirt, and some torn jeans. "I wish I was as pretty as her." I sighed pointing at the picture.  
  
"You are just as pretty. Boy she would have loved to be here with a child of her own... It's getting late, so brush your hair and teeth and put some pajamas on. Uncle Cain is coming over tomorrow so be on your best behavior, ok?" Michael asked.  
  
"OK!" I assured. I skipped off to do as I was told. I lied still on the bed. "Unky Cain is different..." I thought before I closed my eyes.  
  
The next morning Michael woke me up hastily. "Time to wake up! Put this on!" Michael exclaimed as he threw me a beautiful long sleeved silky red kimono. I did my hair up nice. So did Michael. Michael had on the same kind of kimono. There was a knock at the door and Michael slid it open. Cain stood in the doorway. A long black leather coat and black gloves was his visible attire. A small hunched-over man with 2 briefcases walked in after Cain. Michael closed the door. "Welcome brother, what brings you here? You never told me." Michael extended a hand out to Cain. Cain slapped his hand out of the way with a "Hmph."  
  
"I don't care about you. Where is the girl?" Cain asked surveying the room. I was hiding behind Michael.  
  
"What do you want with Rain?" Michaels voice hardened.  
  
"Let me see her." Cain demanded. Michael scowled and looked around. He whispered "Be NICE" to me.  
  
"Here." Michael moved out of the way. Cain crouched down.  
  
"Come now, I don't bite. I just want to have a look at you is all." Cain explained in a nice voice, which was the scariest thing I have ever heard. I looked hesitantly at Michael. His eyes gestured for me to do something... Well he was the only "Uncle" I'd ever have so I did the most regrettable thing in a person's life...  
  
"UNKY CAIN!!!" I screamed as I hugged him around the neck. (He was crouched down.) I will never live that down as long as I live...  
  
"She needs to warm up to people first, I see." Cain picked me up and stood me on the table. The hunched man opened a suitcase. It was full of computer equipment. He took out a laptop, a thingy, and a CD. He set the thingy in front of the computer, and inserted the disk. The man turned the thingy on. (Thingy?) It emitted a beam that started at my head and contoured down the rest of my body. Michael knew that it wasn't going to harm me so he stood still.  
  
Cain crouched down and he gazed at the screen. An image downloaded. It was a naked woman with blue hair. It was me... but older. Cain studied the image hungrily.  
  
"Delicious. Wonderful, but how exact is this?" Cain asked.  
  
"100% sir." The man replied.  
  
"Excellent. Michael..." Cain called Michael over as the man shut the computer off. I got off the table and I sat on a pillow.  
  
"Yes Cain?" Michael asked. Cain took the other briefcase and slammed it down on the table, right in front of me. He popped it open.  
  
"1,000,000 double dollars for her." Cain offered. Michael looked stunned. After a moment of hesitation, he finally screamed,  
  
"NO! PEOPLE ARE NOT PROPERTY! She is a human being! That is a large sum of money, what do you need her for?" Michael asked.  
  
"1,000,000,000 double dollars in cash." Cain again offered.  
  
"What do you want with her first off? You can't own people!" Michael exclaimed.  
  
"You're right. You can't own people. Look, I could just as well take her now, but I am offering you one billion double dollars. Are you mad, not to accept this offer?" Cain asked.  
  
"You are the only mad one. For the last the time, what are you gonna do with her?" Michael asked. Cain smiled maliciously,  
  
"Whatever the hell I want." He slammed the suitcase shut. His eyes were glowing. The old man walked out and Cain stood in the doorway, "Last chance fool, take it or leave it." Cain snapped.  
  
"Leave it." Michael said bravely.  
  
"Two birds with one stone... Goodbye for now Rain darling..." Cain muttered as he slammed the door behind him. Michael rushed me to bed. My head was spinning. I remembered Cain's voice: "You're right. You can't own people." Am I not a person? Is it because I am a child? Then it hit me, he tried to purchase me, like an animal... Filled with grief, I cried myself to sleep... over Cain... Oh well. I thought that was the worst of my problems. Boy was I wrong, oh what I'd have given to only cry for Cain because he hurt my feelings... But nothing is ever enough for the bastard.  
  
Later that night, Michael came into my room, and I did not move, I was too tired. Michael was crying, tears streamed down his face, and fell onto my hair. My eyes were open ever so slightly. Michael stroked my back.  
  
"I'M SORRY! I'm sorry Rain. We just can't win... We can't run, we can't hide, and I sure as hell aint givin' you up without a fight... I don't know why he wants you so badly, but I'm sorry... I'm sorry if I die... Please, it's not my fault. Cain is god; there is no changing that. But maybe, just maybe you will change that... I hope so... I hope everything goes all right. You are the closest thing I'll ever have as a daughter. I don't care what they all think you are my adopted daughter... I'll try my best..." Michael wept.  
  
I was totally confused. I didn't know what to do or think. Michael kissed my head and left, wiping the tears from his face. I felt like judgment day was coming or something. Little did I know what tomorrow had in store. Michael was assuming the worst, but I didn't realize at the time. My head was too full, swimming with unceasing thoughts flooding my mind... No order, and it was beginning to bother me. Trying to sort and shut my thoughts out, I ended up getting a bad migraine. I fell asleep finally, but I heard a rooster croak, so it had to have been dawn. Michael came and woke me. He was being super nice. We sat at the table for breakfast, and although Michael was smiling, it looked so fake. He looked anxious, and fearful.  
  
"What's wrong Daddy?" I asked. That was the very first time I called him my father. I accepted him as my dad. He started crying. I ran over to him, "Don't cry!" I exclaimed. He just wept harder. As he simmered down, he embraced me, and we held onto each other like it was our last days on earth.  
  
I suddenly began to feel very worried and scared. As my feelings increased magnitude, the door was literally ripped open. Cain stood in the doorway, with the same coat and gloves, but this time he was on a Thomas; a very nice brown one. Cain looked snobbish and sinister. His eyes were glowing with evil. Michael stood up. Cain raised his hand casually, a waiting signal, for his armed army that surrounded him, to shoot.  
  
"NO!" Michael screamed. He threw the table onto its side, like a shield from the inevitable gunfire. We crouched be hind it. There was an eerie deathly silence... Then Cain threw his hand down and locked his arm straight out in the direction of our hiding place.  
  
"You all so much as harm a hair on the girls' head, and it will cost more than your lives... FIRE!!!" Cain ordered.  
  
Michael clutched his necklace, a simple silver chain. He knew that if he didn't cover me, I would have been killed, and he loved me so. The purr of machine guns sounded and I felt the hot vibrations against my back as the bullets pounded and slowly ate through the table-shield. I could not move if I wanted to. I was paralyzed in fear. Michael made up his mind. He jumped up and over the table. He stood in front of the table, where I was frozen. He stood legs and arms spread out. I saw it. I saw the rain of hot metal jerk his body around like a rag doll. It tore through his flesh like a knife through butter. Blood poured from his various wounds. I knew he was going to die. I knew I hated Cain.  
  
"CEASE FIRE!" Cain commanded. The soldiers immediately stopped. I ran over to Michael and knelt by his side.  
  
"Mi---," was all I managed to spit out. I started bawling. Michael looked up at me.  
  
"Don't cry. I love you Rain. I really do. Take this and run, run away, far away. Goodbye." Michael whispered and he handed me his silver chain. The chain was fine and you could barely see it in his bloody hand.  
  
"I love you too...goodbye daddy..." I cried. Michael's head fell to the side and he went limp. He was dead. My father was dead and my "uncle" killed had murdered him.  
  
Cain, head held high, smugly rode up beside me on his Thomas. He looked down at me. I glared at him and stood up. I clenched the chain in my hand tightly. I spit in his face. I ran, but the soldiers at the door stood there tightly packed and I knew they wouldn't let me go... one of them grabbed me by my kimono and I wriggled and twisted in his grasp, to no avail. The man was big, a lot bigger than Cain, so if Cain got me I might get a chance, I thought. Cain pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his face off and threw the cloth down. He strode up beside me and the man transferred me to Cain. Cain slapped me.  
  
"Settle down you little brat." He snapped. The soldiers and Cain walked off, away from the house... the last time, I'd ever see that house, and Michael. Cain placed me on the saddle in front of him and because I kept screaming, he put his gloved hand over my mouth and steered with the other. His hand slipped down beneath my top lip and I wrenched my head forward and I bit his first finger.  
  
"FUCK!" He screamed and the animal stopped in its tracks and so did the soldiers. I jumped off and ran through the soldiers, but Cain ran up with his Thomas, which was obviously faster, and Cain scooped me up and back handed me and dropped me on the ground. Cain dismounted his steed and grabbed a long rope. "This should tame you..." He smirked. He tried to put the rope in my mouth so I wouldn't bite anymore, but I didn't open my mouth. He pinched me hard on arm and I screamed and he thrust the rope into my mouth. He tied it around my head and he bound my arms to the remaining rope, behind my back. I wasn't too comfortable. But I was so mad; I could've cared less if I was being hog-tied. Again I sat in front of Cain. My hands were behind me and they touched his groin area the whole time.  
  
It was uncomfortable for me, touching his area and all, but as I would come to see that was really nothing compared to what he had in store for me.  
  
Cain is 23 and Michael was like 30 or so. Cain was 6'1 and Michael was 5'10. Cain was evil and Michael was pure. I always pondered if they were biological brothers. They look so different and act so different, it has to be impossible.  
  
As we came upon the exit of the dome, I was wishing for a way to escape, for Michael to be alive, for Cain to be dead... I wished I had a gun so I could kill Cain, but he deserved eternal torture for all the things he has done to not only me, but also everyone else. I remembered Michael getting shot like that and I could never kill someone like that.  
  
What about Vash? Is this what Vash saw on a daily basis, death and destruction? I never realized how painful the sight of death could be. Hearing about it, it didn't seem so bad, nothing is really how it sounds. There aren't just enough describing and emotional words for it. Cain made me hate emotions. Cain made me hate a lot of things, but I wouldn't hate, no I wouldn't. For Michael. I might never avenge Michael, but I will do things the way he would want them. For Michael.  
  
I fell asleep before we got to the exit. I fell asleep with my head against Cain's chest, which at the moment I didn't care. Again, he had that malicious look on his face. Ugh, disgusting at the very least.  
  
I woke up in a stable, surprisingly. There was an old man leaning over me when I opened my eyes. I shrieked in surprise.  
  
"Mr. President is disturbing, abducting children like that..." The old man said. I sat upright.  
  
"Where am I sir?" I questioned politely.  
  
"In a Thomas stable. I don't want to upset you, but you're going to have to live with me for a little while. Until you have aged a normal 16, they tell me it won't take but a year or so. They claim they have injected you with some age-fasting chemical, I'll believe it when I see it." The old man helped me up.  
  
A year to grow 9 years? Isn't that like, an oxymoron? I did not understand... They injected me with a reverse fountain of youth? Something was amiss.  
  
I continued to live with Gomes, my new caretaker. His job was to educate me and make me work. They were right. I grew and grew and grew. I had budded into a beautiful young lady if I do say so myself. I always wore Michael's chain. A year had passed; I looked about sixteen. I realized the day was coming. Cain would take me back.  
  
It was his birthday today, Gomes told me, an almost exact year since he had killed Michael and abducted me. Gomes knew karate, and he had taught me some. All the things that happened in my life, I was very, very mature for my age. 'If I didn't know better, I'd say you were in your late twenty's. You are very mature for 16... and you don't really look it either.' He would tell me. Who knows, maybe I wasn't 16, maybe I was 25, but I didn't look that old. I looked like I was 20 or so. Today we would find out.  
  
I sat at the table in the dirty stable with Gomes. Someone quietly crept up behind me. I could hear it. For some reason, my senses were much better than any human I ever knew. Much sharper, faster and smarter I had become. It had to be the injected chemicals, I would tell myself. The person put their arms around my neck. I smelled liquor. Vodka, gin, wine, whiskey, brandy and cologne; it made me feel faint. I sat perfectly still. Out of the corner of my eye I saw blonde wisps of hair. I could sense his evil also.  
  
"Damnit." I thought. He licked the side of my face. He was drunk all right. His breath reeked.  
  
"Sheee, I shaven't horgotton about yoooooooouuuuuuu...." He said drunken. He meant 'See I haven't forgotten about you,' but he was too drunk to speak correctly. He wound my now dark blue hair around his finger. He groped my chest and Gomes bravely stood up.  
  
"I can't take much more of this. Mr. President sir, if you will take her... Take her now." Gomes said. I don't blame him. I'm glad he didn't stand up against Cain. He would suffer the same fate as Michael.  
  
I ripped myself from Cain's grasp. He looked me up and down. I was wearing Gomes' old Gi and was sort of big on me. We didn't have much money so I didn't have a bra, but I had a piece of cloth wrapped around my chest. I wore boxers that Gomes never put on before, he said they always looked small for him, so he never tried them on, but kept them in case he ever needed them. So in other words I looked like karate white trash. My hair was pretty, but dirty and not brushed. If I ever did get to brush it, it was with a Thomas comb. Besides Gomes, the Thomas' were my only friends. I slept, like Gomes, in a pile of hay, so we were poor and dirty also.  
  
Cain came up to me and examined me. He shook his head and I knew better than to mess with a drunken Cain. So I followed him to his awaiting hover- limo. Most all cars hovered, but the poor had regular ones, all rusty and deteriorating.  
  
Anyway, I stepped into the limo and Cain threw me a pair of clean clothes. Those were the nicest clothes I had ever seen. There was a long blue gown that matched the color of my hair, with diamonds to lace my neck.  
  
"If he doesn't consider me a person, and he tried to buy me like a pack of livestock, then why adorn me with such riches?" I thought.  
  
I searched through the rest of the heap of clothes he threw at me. I found a real bra, a black one, he, I guess had calculated my bra size... strange, but at that moment, I wasn't thinking about that. I foraged more and found a small red thong... Real women's underwear! As creepy as it was, I was happy. You'd be too if you had to live without such luxuries. I stared at Cain.  
  
"What? Did thhhe fahmah not thel uu ow to change clothes? CHANGE GODDDDDAMMM-BIT!" Cain looked very drunk. He meant, 'what did the farmer not tell you how to change clothes? Change goddamn it.' But he was still too drunk to say it soberly.  
  
He fumbled for something in his pocket. He pulled out a syringe and needle. I took a step back. (You could stand straight up in his limo.) He gave himself a shot, in the neck. His face squinted.  
  
"Oh god, he's on heroine now! What the hell...." I thought. He threw the needle on the ground.  
  
"Can't be drunk in front of my people. Now, get dressed girl. What are you waiting for?" Cain said completely soberly. So the drug in the syringe was some sobering agent. Probably invented just for him.  
  
"Mr. President, I can't get dressed if you are staring at me, with all due respect, sir." I informed. I might hate his guts, but I was still polite. See, with my aging came cleverness. The one thing he wanted was for me to be bitter towards him. He hated kindness, especially from his new 'toy' (me.)  
  
"What the hell are you smoking? You can get dressed just fine in front of me... because you belong to me. You will do what I say, how I say and whenever I say, understand?" Cain asked smugly. A tear streaked across my face.  
  
"Y-yes." I said very quietly, and I nodded my head slightly. I still just stood there.  
  
"Get fucking dressed!" He ordered.  
  
"W-with all d-due respect, Mr. President, I-I c-c-can't. I j-just can't." I stuttered, trying to force the lump in my throat back down.  
  
Cain got out a large cigar and lit it.  
  
"Damn it bitch, get dressed!" He demanded through the cigar in his mouth. He took out a small gun from his pocket and pointed it at me. "I aint bluffin', this things loaded and one bullet to the head'll kill ya. Now get dressed or I'll make you strip-dance." Cain threatened. It wasn't a threat. It was a promise. I soon straightened myself out.  
  
"All-all right, I'll get dressed..." I didn't cry anymore. I wanted to but I was too scared. I started hastily ripping my old clothes off.  
  
"Slower." Cain lied back and watched me slowly undress myself in sick pleasure. I did not ever change my slow speed, even when I got to the bra and thong, because I'd have a bullet in my arm or leg. You think that was bad? That was the least of my problems.  
  
I sat down all dressed and Cain smiled evilly. He knocked on the window behind us. There were some stylists waiting for me.  
  
"Go get yourself made-up. We are gonna be on TV, my love." Cain laughed and lifted up my dress and put the cigar out on my leg. That hurt like hell. I jumped back to where the stylists were. There was that little man that had been at our house the day before Cain murdered Michael, his own brother.  
  
He held a device in his hand. He came up to me. He pressed the device against my head. And then he scanned the rest of me. The man smiled and knocked on Cain's window.  
  
"Yeah?" Cain asked through the window.  
  
"Sir I have excellent news!" The man exclaimed.  
  
"What?" Cain asked again. I imagined him sitting all haughtily in his seat smoking another cigar.  
  
"The girl is border-line 19-20! She has aged much quicker than we anticipated! Sir this is wonderful!" The man exclaimed, again.  
  
"My birthday keeps getting better and better... Wait till we get home Rain, honey..." His voice sounded so sadistic and psychotic. I didn't want to imagine what he was doing behind the black window, or what he'd do to me when we got 'home'.  
  
Reality struck me; his mansion was my new home, and he was my lover, and I could do nothing about it. Why did I deserve such torment? Why did I do to deserve such a crappy life? I do not know.  
  
The stylists washed my face and hair and one did my hair, and the other, my face. She put make-up on me. I did not look clownish- I actually looked sophisticated and radiant. I paid close attention to everything the woman did to my face, so if I ever needed to, I could do my own make up.  
  
The hair stylist cut my split ends and brushed, blow-dried, and styled my hair. I looked into the large mirror. I looked so very beautiful... Even more beautiful than Michael's wife... I felt arrogant for thinking that, but I'm sorry, it was true. That was the last time; my face would ever be as bright as it was. Cain took what was left of my happiness, if I had any at all, away when we arrived at 'home.' So I enjoyed my radiance while I could.  
  
Finally the limo stopped and we arrived before the immense mansion. I heard Cain get out, and the old man hurried me out also. I stood beside Cain. I guess I really was 20. I stopped growing, I was 5'7 and next to Cain, I looked like an adult, I am an adult. So I never had a childhood, but that is what fate had meant for me. That is really contradicting, now that I consider it. I don't believe in fate at all. Oh well...  
  
Cain locked elbows with me. I forced a smile. Cain was giddy; he didn't need to fake nothin'. Crowds were gathered around his mansion, all roped off and celebrating, TV reporters, cameras, and helicopters.  
  
"So this is what it's like to be famous." I thought. A news reporter came up to Cain and I.  
  
"President Cain, who is this lovely lady you're with on your 24th birthday?" the reporter asked.  
  
"This is Rain, she is my girlfriend, soon to be wife." Cain smirked. I felt so incredibly helpless.  
  
So Cain and I walked off and Cain's bodyguards escorted the reporters away. "No more comments, please," that kinda stuff. There were so many women pouring in front of us, all of them had major love-crushes on Cain. Not just his money, but also his looks. He wasn't ugly at all, but he was the devil.  
  
The groupies kept making envious and rude comments at me. I'd trade any one of them places. Cain told them to leave or he'd call security, so most of them left, but some still wanted autographs and shit, but Cain and I pushed our way through the mob and got inside the enormous doors.  
  
He lifted me off my feet and we took an elevator to a room. I was frightened and I didn't know what to expect. Cain opened the door and he literally threw me into the room, but he threw me far and I landed on a nice soft bed. I was a bit confused, I didn't know what to expect, if he was going to leave me or something else. When he closed the door behind me and he walked closer to me, I expected the worst. I expected correctly.  
  
He snapped his fingers and the light shut off. The small lamp on the nightstand flickered on. It was dim. I saw the flicker of a silver blade. I was petrified. Cain crawled up onto me and cut all my garments off with his switchblade. Cain threw his coat off and his gloves. He rubbed his hands together. In an evil demonic voice, he sang,  
  
"Happy birthday to me, now that I unwrapped my present, I get to play with it." He smiled. He pressed the switch against my neck. I wasn't crying, I was much too scared. "Cry, Rain, cry, it will make it much more enjoyable for me..." He laughed psychotically. I started crying, I wanted to all along, but I was afraid he'd hurt me. Cain gave me permission to cry, so I did. I cried like I have never cried before. He smiled and threw the blade into the opposite wall. Then he proceeded to rape me.  
  
Cain is nothing but a lust and power drive monster. He thrives on making people suffer, that is his pleasure. He stole my innocence. The one thing I could call my own. But I was an adult now. So I guess that gave Cain some kind of twisted permission to rape me. I tried to fight back, but I was crying too hard, which made me feel weak. Cain took everything away, everything I held dear.  
  
The next morning I woke up and Cain was getting dressed. He was smiling cruelly.  
  
"Wasn't that fun love?" He asked, pulling on some pants.  
  
"No, it wasn't Mr. President." I said bravely.  
  
"Ha. Call me Cain love." He laughed.  
  
"Call me Rain, Mr. President." I said. He looked at me funny then threw me one of his dress-shirts.  
  
"Wear that to your room, 4th floor, 1st door on your left." He instructed, putting on a tie. I simply got up and left.  
  
I wanted to eradicate him. I felt such a blinding rage of emotions. If I ever gave up my virginity, it would be to someone I loved, but that was wishful thinking, from the time Cain took me prisoner and killed Michael, to the end of my days. I festered in my angst. This is what I had received, not deserved. I obtained a hellish purgatory, my life in sorrowful entrapment, instead of a somewhat typical life. What did I perform to earn this melancholy and desperation? Most people hate their monotonous regimens and their modest lives, I'd trade anyone any day, but I wouldn't want them to experience such a miserable torment of agony and anguish... I was accordingly besieged; Cain Raigon was my god and my lover.  
  
From then on, he would rape me almost every night. For the entire day, I'd be alone, either reading, in the stables, or in the plant room. The plants amazed me. So much depended on the efficiency of their functioning. The very balance of life and death, and Cain knew it.  
  
That is what fed his ego; knowing that he has ultimate control over everyone, like pulling the strings on a marionette. That's all human kind was to him, pawns. Little manipulative, expendable, replenish able, unlimited resources, that was his perspective of human kind.  
  
The only reason this succeeded so well was because of the human need to keep on living. No one stood against Cain, and if they did, there would be entire sectors of innocent people killed and it would be blamed on them.  
  
It was always a rough world here on planet "Gun-Smoke". Its now just merely "smoke." Smoke, smog, and pollution, this was going to become another planet earth. I hoped I wasn't there long enough to experience it though.  
  
I reached my room finally. It was very ornate and large. Bookshelves and a bed and a vanity and a door that led to the bathroom presumably. There was also a closet filled with all sorts of expensive, elegant clothing and also a large terrace balcony.  
  
I walked to the balcony. It was morning... The 2 suns were glittering like gold. Oh how I wished I could sit still and glow, floating in outer space, without a care in the world...  
  
I was so lonely living there. It had to have been 6 months already. I have lost track of how many times and ways Cain has raped me. "Maybe he isn't human..." I thought many times. Cain is like a damn horny dog in the summertime. He just doesn't quit. But other than Cain seeing me for a few hours at a time, that was really my only human contact. I was alone, and I admit... I didn't like it very much.  
  
I was reading books in the vast library. Almost every book ever written existed there. I found out why I had grown so rapidly, and why I wasn't like the other kids. I was special all right, the last of my species.  
  
I happened to stumble upon a biography. It was Vash the Stampede's. Meryl Strife wrote it. Naturally I was compelled to read it. It was thick, but I had a lot of free time. I learned a lot. Vash was a product of a plant, and as I researched it, I found that I too, was the same breed of creature.  
  
Apparently, at the time of "Project Seeds", Vash was created on one of the mother ships. However so was I. I was kept a secret and they cryogenically froze my body, out of fear and to keep it a secret. I was almost 350 years old! I could not believe my findings.  
  
Michael, a genetic engineer, discovered my perfectly preserved cryogenically frozen body, from an excavated shipwreck. He decided to revive me as best he could. Of course this was hush-hush. But he kept me as his "daughter" anyway. His wife had become ill and passed away. Michael raised me single-handedly.  
  
I was shocked that I was so old... like a temple relic or something... There was more... I possessed the greatest of powers. I had never really thought about it, but I was very different from humans. I functioned so much better than they did. I was just like Vash. I actually felt overwhelmed, almost in denial, but facts don't lie. From that moment I made a promise to myself: I would use my superior powers to free others and myself from Cain. I was my first priority.  
  
I read about Meryl and Milly, and I decided I really didn't like them, and since most of the book was about them, surprisingly, I put it away. I knew all I needed to about Vash.  
  
I decided to train myself. I hired an expert gunman to teach me the ways of the gun. Boy was I a fast learner. My first gun was a black pistol. It was a powerful little thing. Small, but good.  
  
I was so incredibly awesome. I never informed Cain of my gun training; he'd have my head. I always hit my target, always. Whether it be in the forehead, heart, neck, kidney, etc, I always made my mark, always.  
  
I learned a lot so quickly, speed training, stealth, you name it. Mr. Kawaka, my sensei, or teacher, even admitted I was a hundred times better than he ever was. I always talked to him. I even told him about my beginnings. That's why I was so inhumanly fast, fast like Vash. I was also incredibly psychic, but those powers scared me, so I didn't use them too often.  
  
Rick [Kawaka] told me how rare I was. All plants are female, and they live inside those glass encasements. Prisons... so if they were to reproduce something like me, it'd have to be a male. But somehow I escaped that. I'll never know how, but trust me; I am a female...  
  
I learned everything in those 4 months Rick lived with me. I could make a gun, I could fix a car blindfolded, I could play a piano, and I liked to tinker with lasers and see how the plants worked. I loved sitting in front of the row of plants, they were immense and they glowed in the shady, humid, ominous room.  
  
I would always curl up with a book in there, usually a good science-fiction novel. I once read a romantic/dramatic novel. It was called "The fifth moon." It was very sad and romantic... They both made me cry, because it was heartrending, because the characters die, and it was something I wanted very badly, and I knew that was the one thing Cain couldn't buy me: happiness. And I wasn't even human! But I still held emotions, every one of them. I never read another romantic novel again.  
  
I was always alone when I read. I liked it better that way. I bear in mind, when I touched the plants' glass... I started to feel peculiar, and then a blinding, glittering light spread through the entire corridor, encompassing every molecule that resided there. It was soundless as bereavement. Then my body as I knew it altered... It altered into a beautiful and magnificent creature. This entity, I recognized as my brethren. I now entirely resembled one of my own brood that was rapt behind its interminable glass confinement.  
  
But I was free, on the outside... I would trade them places... after all, I'm 'not human' ... As I looked at my long piercing nails, and as I hovered in the air, there was a beautiful, in unison, harmonic, choir-like, echo of a high-pitched wail. It was magnificent, truly, almost like a whale song. (Or so it seemed. I read about whales in a book about earth's animals. Reading doesn't let you hear the things the material describes, unfortunately.) All of the plants' lovely voices resonated in my head. I felt peaceful, at a moment of peace...  
  
I had several wings of the most angelic pale color. My nails were an ivory color, my eyes were not human at all, (I saw my reflection in the glass.) and they were alien, all a creamy blue color, and they were very gleamy and wet looking. . I was totally nude, which didn't bother me, my long floating, silky, now purple, hair, had covered my body. My skin was a very pale pink, and it was more velvety than that of a human baby. I really liked how my eyelashes were, so black and thick and long. I was enchantingly beautiful, even if I wasn't in a human form.  
  
As beautiful as a plant is, there is no place for one living among the humans. I was the only one in the entire world and I felt lonely and out of place. I wished there was one just like me alive... So I really didn't know how to change back. So I figured I had the power to do what I pleased, so I let go of the glass and I closed my eyes and pictured myself in my body and my clothes sitting in front of the plant. And when I opened my eyes: what do you know... it worked! But I was extremely tired, so I only changed once back into the plant form, to test it out, then I changed into Rain Raigon, and I passed out.  
  
To tell you the truth I really don't like using my powers, I know I'd be unstoppable, I wanted to obscure the fact that I was not human, so if I was gonna convince my soul that I was human, I was gonna act human. That's right, 'I'm a human.' I'd tell myself until I believed it. But truly, only on the exterior, so I don't like to think that deep, where the fact is hiding that: I am NOT human. But oh well.  
  
So I read a new novel that truly inspired me: "A speck of hope in the midst of time." The book seemed like it was written, indirectly, about me, as silly as that sounds. It really touched me. So I researched time-travel extensively, on all the technology that was available in this era. The era of Cain.  
  
It's kinda weird that no matter where you are in the world, and no matter how different the peoples are, they all know Cain is god, and they all know him as well as anyone else in the world.  
  
I found various things, and I derived complicated formulas from the information I had gathered. I finally came to a conclusion after perilous weeks with little to no sleep and the ceaseless need to go on and on: Time does not exist, it is just like a pond of water, that is why the very enlightened and understanding ones can go to any 'time' they want. Time is just a word.  
  
You have to be a very brave and open-minded person, to be able to swim through time, much meditation, but there was an alternate route: The sci-fi route, to manipulate time with the creation of man. To create some kind of medium to travel through time with, you'd need to create a device in which to tear the lining of time, though.  
  
So I finally obtained some well-needed rest, I could now sleep easy, knowing that tomorrow, I would start construction on my time portal, but there is no way it could be achieved without the power of the plants, because they are superior and 'holy', they could generate enough spiritual energy to manipulate the thick barriers of 'time'.  
  
So weeks of solitude in the plant room, with a bunch of equipment, and a motive, paid off. I had built a huge circle out of metal, but not just any circle, a portal-creating circle.  
  
I figured I had a 25% chance of actually getting somewhere, without getting killed by all the electrical energy produced by the plants. I figured I'd rather go with 25%, than live another moment with Cain. I didn't care what time I ended up in, as long as I would have freedom, a nice peaceful paradise, wouldn't be so bad, but pickers can't be choosers.  
  
So Rick and I made a plan to get Cain. Rick embraced me, and a grown man, an older, enlightened man, actually cried. "You might die, but I know this is what you want. So I want to give you this, but you have to promise me, that when you go through that thing you got there, you have to believe that you'll make it somewhere. That's the key; you need to 100% faith! That'll surely get you there." Rick sobbed and I believed him. He was very enlightened and wise. He handed me a gun. It was an older-looking gun. I took it. "It's a hybrid between my very own gun, and a new custom one, made especially made for your superiority, so that you'll always have a piece of me wherever you end up. Keep it." Rick dried his tears and smiled. Tears stroked my cheek also... I then returned the smile and I took the gun. It was a large handgun, blacker than black. For speed, it took magazines, cartridges of pre-packed bullets. I really liked that gun.  
  
We needed the key that only Cain had, to turn all the plants to maximum power. We had a plan. Knowing Cain, it was fail-proof.  
  
I waited for him at the front door, and he came home, he walked through the door and threw his suit jacket off, he loosened his tie also. I snuck up behind him. I put my arms around his neck slowly and seductively. Then I took his tie off and I tossed it aside.  
  
"Alright Cain, let's get it on, shall we?" I asked softly in his ear.  
  
"I'm glad you're finally seeing things my way." He replied and he turned around. His hand traveled down my back, passed my buttock, and to the inside of my knee. He lifted up my leg and put it on his hip. He went to go kiss me. I pistol-whipped him, and hard. He spit and blood came from his mouth. I smirked so superiorly, and evil, like he had done to me so many times before. I pointed my new gun to his head. "Checkmate." I said. He looked helpless and frightened. I shot him in the shins. He fell to his knees in screaming pain. Then as stealthy as a ninja, Rick appeared from the shadows and knocked Cain out cold. He whistled.  
  
Then, also out of the shadows, came a Thomas that matched the color of my gun perfectly. I recognized him immediately... he was Midnight, my Thomas. I loved Midnight dearly. He was very well trained, and stubborn, he'd only listen to me, and sometimes Rick, because I would tell him Rick is on my side. I swear, sometimes, I think he can comprehend what I am telling him. He was very soft, loving and loyal.  
  
I jumped on his back. I noticed my bags had already been packed, and were loaded onto Midnight. I bid Rick our last, tearful goodbye. And I rode to the portal, in the plant room. I took out the key I had unnoticeably lifted from Cain. I turned on every single plant to max power; my portal glimmered and sparkled as swirls of energy swam around, like a kaleidoscope. Without a second's hesitation, Midnight lunged into the swirls, faithfully and as for me, I had but little doubt of actually making it somewhere... 


	3. A key to happiness

This is where it gets fun! Brunette (woman) walks into the completely white, blank screen, with a sloppy, baggy suit and tie. "Hello!" she exclaims. "This is the fun part where I, pen name; Crazy Narrator, takes place. I am the 'third-person' as you would say. From this point on, it will alternate from 3rd to 1st person(s). It could be Rain's POV, or Vash's or Wolfwood's, who knows. Thanks, I'll get back to narrating now."  
  
Rain opened her eyes, her sides hurt, and her ribcage and her legs also were tormented in pain. The first thing she thought was "I have pain, so I must've landed somewhere..." That's right, she had fallen clear out of the blue, blue sky. She wondered where in time she was...  
  
So she looked around, Midnight was passed out on the sandy, sandy ground. "It sure isn't the future..." Rain thought to herself again. It was very barren where she was. She could see what looked like the vaporous outline of a town on the promising horizon. The two suns beat harshly on her back. She wondered how Midnight felt, considering that he had a shiny black pelt.  
  
This 'time' was paradise considering the time she was originally from. She'd rather have 10 suns in the sky with their heat beating down on her, than Cain any day. After all, he was the crazy psychopathic overlord of the future, who had nothing on his mind but money...  
  
Was the crazy psychopathic overlord of the future... these thoughts gave rain unimaginable comfort. No matter what Cain did, he'd never find her again, even if he went through time. The odds were too great of getting to the same time period, and even if he did, he has no power in the past, so him finding her there was out of the question, which also lent more assuring comfort.  
  
But what was this place and time? Could it possibly be the era of Vash the Stampede? That would be very nice for Rain... It was hard to be alone, the only one of her kind, she didn't want to be alone anymore... but if this was the past, and Vash lived outside of time, then she might find him, because it was the past...  
  
If she did get to see Vash that would be the best thing that could possibly happen to her... So she woke up Midnight and he groaned loudly.  
  
"It's ok boy... We made it, we really did it." Rain stroked Midnight and helped him to his feet. All of Rain's heavy baggage did not fall off Midnight, it would have fallen any other thomas except for Midnight. Midnight was mighty all right. So Rain mounted her mighty steed and he raced off into the town...  
  
She arrived at town and saw the 'Bernardelli Insurance Society' sign. In the window she saw what looked like Meryl, (from the photos in the book) so her heart was filled with such joy, she probably would have bled it at that moment. So she decided to make a little deal with the chief...  
  
You see she wasn't so happy. She had no emotions for so long, she doesn't get too emotional. They 'disappeared', for lack of a better word...  
  
So she tied her thomas next to another one, that was brown, and she strut coolly inside the building. Everyone turned their head to look at Rain. You normally don't see a beautiful woman with a big black in a holster on her leg swagger into an insurance agency.  
  
She asked where the guy in charge was. They pointed to the door. She thanked them. She walked inside and closed the door behind her.  
  
"Hello miss, is there a problem?" The chief asked calmly, looking up from his paper work.  
  
"No, not at all. I was wondering if I could interest you in a deal... I am willing to work for free." Rain sat down.  
  
"Doing what?" He asked.  
  
"Looking after Vash the Stampede of course. I am his, uh, lady." she lied. She only said that for credibility.  
  
"Are you insane? He is a humanoid typhoon! He's dangerous! How can I trust you? Why haven't you turned him in for the bounty?" The chief asked.  
  
"Cuz I love him, I wouldn't choose wealth over love. How can you refuse? I'll write a weekly report about him, and keep him out of as much trouble as I possibly can, and I'll work for free! Why endanger the lives of paid employees, who might not even establish contact with him, It's like an inside job. Hey, it's a win-win situation. You can't lose anything." Rain folded her arms.  
  
"Why would you decide to betray him like that? How do I know you're loyal to my company?" Chief asked slyly.  
  
"I have to repent for things I have done in my life, so I am giving back. Of course I am loyal! Now take it or leave it! Like I said, you can't lose." Rain stood up.  
  
"You have a point. I like a girl with a head on her shoulders. You drive a nice bargain. You are a rouge, but now consider yourself an 'employee' of Bernardelli. I was gonna assign two other girls (Meryl and Millie) to the same job, but you are more fit for it. Now a weekly report, and tell me one last thing..." The Chief said.  
  
"What?" Rain asked full of glee.  
  
"Why don't you want me to pay you? After all, you are doing something for nothing, so why not be paid?" He questioned.  
  
"I just don't need the money and I really want this job so I figured offering for me not to be paid, would really convince you." Rain explained.  
  
"Thank you for telling the truth. I see that you are a very honest person. In fact take my brown thomas out there. Keep it. It's a token of my appreciation. And also, if you need a bit of cash, I'll keep all your would- be paychecks safe for you, until you claim them." The chief said. Rain almost cried. That was easy. She was now literally re-writing history as we speak. It was supposed to be Millie and Meryl getting the job. Mocking/teasing voice But Rain-y got it first-y...  
  
Rain opened the door and she smiled at all the eavesdroppers scurrying away like ants under the shadow of a shoe. She heard them breathing the whole time. She walked passed the people at their desks and people were conspiring against her under their breath to one another.  
  
"Hey, the chief is letting a rouge get the Vash job!" One chick muttered in the ear of another.  
  
"Tell me about it! That's not just any rouge, that's Vash's girl!" She whispered back. Rain could hear them, and she smiled even more. She was happy. Meryl scowled at Rain and this made Rain ultimately delighted, as evil as it sounds. Millie walked up to Rain and congratulated her and wished her good luck.  
  
Therefore Rain was filled with merriment. She untied the thomas next to Midnight, and then Midnight. For that reason she now had a brown thomas. Now, to find Mr. Stampede...  
  
She closed her eyes to see if she could sense his presence... All of a sudden, like a wave, it hit her, she could sense his pain... and his energy...  
  
She rode the brown thomas, while Midnight followed close behind. She had to ride up a steep hill, and then, in a valley she saw a group of people, and she saw a red-coated person. She smiled again. Rain rode her thomas' down to the bottom of the valley. She was within an earshot.  
  
"This pathetic guy is Vash, the 60 billion double-dollar man? That's pretty sorry... Who the hell cares? We are gonna be so rich, we can wipe our asses with 100's!" One bandit exclaimed. Rain had to act before they shot Vash.  
  
"I'm afraid not boys." Rain shouted so she could be heard. They all turned to look. Vash also looked. He giggled. And sat there bound with rope, with his eyes as hearts. He almost was drooling. All the bandits were whistling and making rude comments.  
  
"Hey baby, if ya 'dance' for us we'll give a million once we kill this Vash guy!" They exclaimed and started laughing.  
  
"Vash aint a guy! She's right here. You think you can take me?" Rain asked. Pointing to herself. All the bandits laughed hysterically... Until Rain shot and grazed one of their heads.  
  
"Next time, I won't aim to get your attention!" Rain threatened. They all took out their guns.  
  
"We don't shoot women, but if you are really Vash the Stampede, then we'll make an exception! FIRE!" One guy yelled. Rain was ready. She started firing and they started collapsing to their knees. And then she started punching and kicking them. She called Midnight over and she looked at the group of injured, but not dead, bandits. She cut Vash loose with a small knife in a pouch that was on Midnight.  
  
She smiled at the mystified Vash. "I guess I got a bit carried away! Sorry fellas, I'll call a doctor as soon as we get outta here!" Rain smiled. And Vash realized that Rain was a good, sweet person, like himself.  
  
The brown thomas also walked over. Rain gave Vash the bridle leash to the brown Thomas to Vash. Vash hugged Rain, "You came out here just to save me?" He asked. Rain blushed.  
  
"Yeah, let's get a doc down here, quick, c'mon." Rain gestured to go. Vash got on the thomas and Rain got on Midnight. They raced back to the town.  
  
"So why did you save me, of all people?" Vash asked, slowing the thomas down. Rain did the same, but hers slowed down to a stop. She clutched the reigns and held them to her face, trying to cover her tears.  
  
"It... its hard to be alone, all by myself... I don't want to be by myself anymore..." She sobbed, reminiscing on her life.  
  
Vash put his hand on her shoulder. "What do you mean?" He asked.  
  
"It was hard to be the only plant..." She started to stop crying. Vash had the strangest look of bewilderment.  
  
"A plant?" He asked, playing dumb... I think...  
  
"Yeah... you know, 'project seeds'... I was kept secret on a different ship... I was therefore cryogenically frozen, then I was revived 350 years later... Yes I'm from the future, Vash. I'm so glad I'm not alone anymore... Please believe me, I'll tell you all about the future..." She stopped crying and gazed into Vash's glittering sapphire eyes. He embraced her gently. And Rain Raigon could not ask for more. She now had everything she had ever could possibly want...  
  
Hot tears flowed down Rain's face and down Vash's neck as she held him close. Awwww....  
  
"So you came here to be with me?" Vash asked quietly. They started galloping their thomas' to the town.  
  
"Yes. You're my idol. In fact. I read many books on you..." Rain flattered.  
  
"I guess I'm pretty special, huh?" He laughed.  
  
"I guess." Rain blushed. She could not get over the fact that she, herself, was talking to Vash the Stampede. She was starting to worry about the injured bandits so they arrived in town and arranged for a medical staff to go tend to the bandits. They said they 'found' them all injured... ha... once that was settled, she rented a room in the same place as Vash did. (She had 2 enormous bags of cash, they were like duffle bags...)  
  
"Wanna go get some food? I'm starved." Vash asked casually.  
  
"Can we get take-out?" Rain asked.  
  
"Meet at your place?" Vash asked quickly.  
  
"Talk a little?" Rain replied with a question.  
  
"Yeah! Be there in 20!" Vash walked very strangely (gaily- happy) to wherever he was going. Rain smiled and shook her head. She walked to her room and led her thomas' in first. Then she unloaded all of her baggage that Midnight was loaded up with. Midnight moaned, in a relieved manner.  
  
She stroked the brown thomas. "You need a name... How about Brownie... or Cookie... mmm... food products... I could call you Shit since you're brown..." Rain contemplated and laughed at the remark she had just made. And as if the beast could understand her, it stuck out its long tongue and shook its head. Rain patted its head warmly. "Chocolate it is then." Rain smiled. Chocolate and Midnight, it is then mate...  
  
Rain started humming to Midnight as she caressed him as he lay down. They were all resting on the floor, in front of the bed. She was humming very beautifully and she was so wrapped up in humming, she did not notice Vash walk in. He was carrying a large paper bag. She had now begun to sing softly. He was spellbound by her beautiful voice. "She sings as pretty as Rem..." He thought. He took a deep breath and turned his head to the ceiling for a moment. He gazed back down at Rain. "She is mysteriously beautiful..." Vash thought as Rain sparkled in his eyes.  
  
Vash sat down the bag on the table and Rain sung the very last note of her song. And she looked up and saw Vash. His presence nearly gave her a stroke. She did not notice him come in.  
  
"D-don't do that! You could have given me a heart attack! Then I'd probably be dead and it would be all your fault!" Rain panted.  
  
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! It's not like I snuck up behind you and shouted 'Boo!' ok? Yeesh..." Vash complained, he took out the food and sat it down on the table.  
  
"So, whaddya get?" Rain asked as Vash helped her to her feet.  
  
"Let's see... Donuts and... fried chicken!" Vash exclaimed as he rummaged through the bag. He sat the strange combination on the table. Rain had no objection to any food right about now. So they ate like starving wild animals and then they sat down on the hard mattress and they talked.  
  
"You know... I've only known you for an hour or so, and I feel like I've known you a lifetime... Are you always so warm and charming?" Rain asked. She was holding her knees and Vash was propped up on the headboard of the single bed.  
  
"I try my best!" He winked/squinted an eye, raised his eyebrows, smiled in a frivolous charming way, and rested his chin between his first finger and his thumb, jokingly posing, of course. Rain laughed and shook her head, and whacked him upside the head with a pillow.  
  
"Hey, Vash, I don't mean to frighten you but..." Rain muttered.  
  
"What? You're gonna kill me, for the 60 billion double-dollar prize too?" He sighed.  
  
"Actually not at all, I have to follow you around, I hope you don't mind, it's my job... I am a brand new employee of some insurance company... so I gotta stick around you, keep you outta trouble, ya know..." Rain justified.  
  
"And they give you such a dangerous job on your first day?" Vash inquired.  
  
"No, I 'volunteered' as you saw, I can handle myself well." Rain enlightened.  
  
"What was so important?" Vash questioned.  
  
"I just wanted to volunteer. No one else could've handled the job, let alone known that you aren't some diabolic monster... And so much trouble falls into your lap, that if anyone else got hired, they'd probably get accidentally killed. Plus, I wanted to meet someone else like me... a lonely plant... I'm sorry for 'forcing' myself on you... If you want someone else to get the job, that's fine... just say the word. After all, you should be able to choose who is going to tag-along with you... That's what I believe anyway..." Rain replied.  
  
"No! Stay! Yes I want you to stay! I would never turn down the company of a lonely, lost, beaut-eee-ful woman, I'd have to be completely gay!" Vash exclaimed.  
  
"You flatter me." Rain blushed slightly. She was never one for blushing, but a compliment from Vash the Stampede, I mean c'mon, give her some credit. (You probably did in the first place anyway... --,)  
  
"So, what's the future like?" Vash nonchalantly inquired putting his hands on top of his head. He leaned back into the pillow-pile.  
  
"...Horrid. It's a horrible place to live. It is way too over populated, and there is one man that rules it all. He rules the whole damn planet... He is god, and everyone knows it. Surprisingly, to me at least, many people admire him... Girls fall over backwards for him... Disgusting." Rain replied, shaking her head.  
  
"Who is he? What does he look like? How is his personality?" Vash questioned.  
  
"Cain Raigon. He has blonde hair, all pushed over to one side of his head. His personality... the devil himself." Rain vindicated.  
  
"...Cain Raigon... by the way, I never caught your name... If you are gonna follow me around, which is fine, can you at least tell me your name, I am sure it is as beautiful as your face...sparkle" He meant to be corny on purpose.  
  
"My name... is Rain... Rain Raigon." Rain muttered. Vash looked stunned.  
  
"Are you related to him?!" Vash asked loudly.  
  
"Obviously not. I am not human, so how is that possible? I just adopted the last name..." Rain went on and on, explaining her entire life to Vash, of course he didn't just sit there the whole time, it was an active conversation for both parties. Rain cried sometimes, and Vash comforted her, and sometimes-even Vash cried... Awww... He's so sensitive... Ah, Vash.  
  
They talked and talked, well into the night. They had a lot in common. Rain was very open. Vash kinda held back on all the details, but he told Rain about the ship Vash was on. Vash never mentioned his psychotic brother; he merely blamed all the death's on a mechanical malfunction...  
  
'The ships got off course, somehow, and only I escaped, but hope wasn't lost. Rem had stayed and when her ship disintegrated in front of my eyes, she had managed to have all the other ships commence orbital correction. So we were saved... all the ships.' So technically he was telling the honest truth, but not the whole truth. After all, they had just become acquaint with each other. It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.  
  
Vash and Rain ended up falling asleep. Vash was stretched, with his arm off the edge of the bed. Rain was situated in a seated position, her back against the bed where Vash's arm. For some reason, in her sleep, she had snuggled up with his arm, and the thomas' were huddled up against her.  
  
The next day... It was noon or so, and Rain had awakened first. She gently let go of Vash's arm, and she got up. The thomas' were methodically roaming around the room. Vash had bed-head, but not that bad, considering Rain controlled his range of movement, by cuddling with his arm all night. Rain went and got some eggs and toast for breakfast. She came back and sat the food on the table. She walked over to the bed where Vash lie in slumber. She sat next to him.  
  
"He is so cute when he sleeps... I usually wouldn't go for a blonde, but I think I'll make an exception in his case... But I suppose... That everyone looks cute and innocent when they are sleeping..." Rain sighed heavily and thought-filled. Vash lie on his side, and Rain sat on the edge, gazing at Vash... Then she realized what she had taken for granted; everything she had ever wanted was given to her and in so little time. She wanted to scream out into the vast heavens how eternally grateful she was. But she didn't want to wake Vash...  
  
It seemed amazing, in a night, she and Vash were as if they had known each other all of their lives. And how she had gotten to him in so little time. She was on the ball all right. Rain spilled her heart to a virtual stranger! And he spilled some of his to her. They were so comfortable around each other, was it because they were 2 of a kind? Or perhaps a deeper reason, or was it simply because Vash probably had the hots for Rain? In any case, you'd have to say they were officially friends.  
  
Rain was overwhelmed with so many emotions, gratefulness, peacefulness, happiness, astonishment, and a very deep joyfulness, that welled her eyes to tears and a placed a lump in her throat. After all, wouldn't you be totally overwhelmed with a surge of such deep emotions after not even having, or experiencing them, in such a long time?  
  
Rain sat next to him deciding if she wanted to wake him. She'd do it nicely. So................. She began poking him in the forehead; not exactly nice, but it gets the job done. He woke up and grabbed her wrist out of reflex.  
  
"Hmm. What's the Yawn matter?" Vash asked drearily. Rain jolted out of her poking state.  
  
"Oh nothing! You startled me!" Rain grabbed at her chest and sat up straight. Vash rolled over onto his back, and put his hands behind his head, and smiled.  
  
"Well now, you're easily scared, huh? I'm the one who should've been worried; I usually don't get prodded in my forehead to awaken... Couldn't you think of a nicer way like Girly voice 'Honey it's time to wake up' and then kiss me or something?" Vash said. Rain popped him one in the side of the head,  
  
"You fruitcake. I got breakfast... I didn't want to wake you though..." Rain explained. Vash sat upright, his feet on the floor, his elbows resting on his knees and his hands dangled in-between.  
  
"You got food, let's eat it!" Vash exclaimed.  
  
"Alright." Rain agreed. So they sat at the table and ate. Blah, blah, blah, they talked.  
  
All of a sudden there was a knock on the door. Rain answered it. "Hello?" She asked, opening the door. It was a short, fat little man; he looked up at Rain.  
  
"Why hello, young lady, I was sent here by Bernardelli. They said you hung out with Vash the stampede.  
  
"Why yes, I do. Is something wrong?" She asked politely.  
  
"I was in need of some body-guarding. May I have yours and Mr. Vash's assistance?" The man asked.  
  
"How long and what for?" Rain asked conspicuously.  
  
"A week. There are bandits running on the loose trying to steal my gold. I live in a mansion not to far from here. So how bout it, I'll give you $$10 an hour, there are 24 hours in a day, 7 days in a week, ya know." The man pleaded.  
  
"... Sure it's only for a week... Um... For Mr. Vash's safety I am afraid only I will guard you. But I could have my brother help out..." Rain lied. Vash was her supposed brother. From the background he shouted,  
  
"I'd love to!" So it was a done deal. They got ready, got on their thomas' and rode all the way to the mansion. Where the fun would begin.  
  
The next day... It was noon or so, and Rain had awakened first. She gently let go of Vash's arm, and she got up. The thomas' were methodically roaming around the room. Vash had bed-head, but not that bad, considering Rain controlled his range of movement, by cuddling with his arm all night. Rain went and got some eggs and toast for breakfast. She came back and sat the food on the table. She walked over to the bed where Vash lie in slumber. She sat next to him.  
  
"He is so cute when he sleeps... I usually wouldn't go for a blonde, but I think I'll make an exception in his case... But I suppose... That everyone looks cute and innocent when they are sleeping..." Rain sighed heavily and thought-filled. Vash lie on his side, and Rain sat on the edge, gazing at Vash... Then she realized what she had taken for granted; everything she had ever wanted was given to her and in so little time. She wanted to scream out into the vast heavens how eternally grateful she was. But she didn't want to wake Vash...  
  
It seemed amazing, in a night, she and Vash were as if they had known each other all of their lives. And how she had gotten to him in so little time. She was on the ball all right. Rain spilled her heart to a virtual stranger! And he spilled some of his to her. They were so comfortable around each other, was it because they were 2 of a kind? Or perhaps a deeper reason, or was it simply because Vash probably had the hots for Rain? In any case, you'd have to say they were officially friends.  
  
Rain was overwhelmed with so many emotions, gratefulness, peacefulness, happiness, astonishment, and a very deep joyfulness, that welled her eyes to tears and a placed a lump in her throat. After all, wouldn't you be totally overwhelmed with a surge of such deep emotions after not even having, or experiencing them, in such a long time?  
  
Rain sat next to him deciding if she wanted to wake him. She'd do it nicely. So................. She began poking him in the forehead; not exactly nice, but it gets the job done. He woke up and grabbed her wrist out of reflex.  
  
"Hmm. What's the Yawn matter?" Vash asked drearily. Rain jolted out of her poking state.  
  
"Oh nothing! You startled me!" Rain grabbed at her chest and sat up straight. Vash rolled over onto his back, and put his hands behind his head, and smiled.  
  
"Well now, you're easily scared, huh? I'm the one who should've been worried; I usually don't get prodded in my forehead to awaken... Couldn't you think of a nicer way like Girly voice 'Honey it's time to wake up' and then kiss me or something?" Vash said. Rain popped him one in the side of the head,  
  
"You fruitcake. I got breakfast... I didn't want to wake you though..." Rain explained. Vash sat upright, his feet on the floor, his elbows resting on his knees and his hands dangled in-between.  
  
"You got food, let's eat it!" Vash exclaimed.  
  
"Alright." Rain agreed. So they sat at the table and ate. Blah, blah, blah, they talked.  
  
All of a sudden there was a knock on the door. Rain answered it. "Hello?" She asked, opening the door. It was a short, fat little man; he looked up at Rain.  
  
"Why hello, young lady, I was sent here by Bernardelli. They said you hung out with Vash the stampede.  
  
"Why yes, I do. Is something wrong?" She asked politely.  
  
"I was in need of some body-guarding. May I have yours and Mr. Vash's assistance?" The man asked.  
  
"How long and what for?" Rain asked conspicuously.  
  
"A week. There are bandits running on the loose trying to steal my gold. I live in a mansion not to far from here. So how bout it, I'll give you $$10 an hour, there are 24 hours in a day, 7 days in a week, ya know." The man pleaded.  
  
"... Sure it's only for a week... Um... For Mr. Vash's safety I am afraid only I will guard you. But I could have my brother help out..." Rain lied. Vash was her supposed brother. From the background he shouted,  
  
"I'd love to!" So it was a done deal. They got ready, got on their thomas' and rode all the way to the mansion. Where the fun would begin. 


	4. The confessions of an outlaw

(Rain's POV) We rode our thomas' to the man's mansion. You see, I kindly let the little man ride Chocolate, while poor Midnight had to sustain Vash's weights and mine. Of course my strong-willed thomas never even took a break. I love Midnight; sometimes I wish I could be as strong as he. Well Midnight had to carry us; Vash and I were crammed together on a one-rider saddle. That wasn't too comfy.  
  
Of course, I had to sit in front, because I don't trust anyone else steering my thomas. I have control issues, even with someone I admire so deeply.  
  
The man led the way, and the reason why Vash didn't walk was because I insisted we both ride. So he finally complied after a while of insisting. I have yet to meet someone as stubborn as me. Except for Midnight, that is. I should've had him walk. I regret that...  
  
You see Vash was sitting behind me and as Midnight galloped Vash kept involuntarily sliding into me and I kept getting my crotch smashed against the saddle knob, you know that thing you can hold onto in the front...  
  
So I finally got so sore, I thought I was going to die; I forcefully leaned back on Vash.  
  
"What?" He asked.  
  
"You are fricken killing me! If that thing hits my groin one more time, I swear to god I will throw you off of this thomas at full speed." I angrily snapped. Vash looked surprised.  
  
"Well why didn't you say so in the first place?" Vash asked. -- I felt like whacking him one. But he solved that problem... He put his arms around me and pulled me up against himself. "There now; you won't ride up against that thing anymore." He comforted.  
  
So I wasn't hitting the damn knob anymore. But Vash was squeezing me so tight it was hard to breathe. I'm sure he really didn't mean to be so rough, but if I was him, I'd be scared of my threat, and I'd do my absolute best to make damn sure I wouldn't hit that god forsaken saddle protrusion.  
  
I sped Midnight up, for the mansion was now in my view, so I raced the old man to the mansion, and we won, but I was glad to get off. My feet hit the ground and I fell to my knees in a sigh of relief. I looked up at Vash... Man is he tall... I'd say 6'9... I never really thought about it before but I pondered what magnificent figure Vash was hiding under that scarlet uniform that fluttered before me in the warm breeze.  
  
I finally spoke up, "So, what're you wearing under the red dress?" I asked slyly, getting up. I bent down to lift the bottom of his 'dress' up. He pushed the fabric down, tapped my hand away and screamed like a girl.  
  
In a girly mocking voice, he shrieked, "Ahhh! Don't look under my dress you big pervert!" The fat little man was mildly amused by Vash's drama.  
  
"So you admit that you are wearing a dress, bro?" I asked, smirking. Before the spiky-haired drama queen could respond, I tackled him into a cloud of sand our combined body weight had spawned. In a craze, I tried to unbutton his coat, from the neck, as if he were a birthday gift. He grabbed my wrists, and although he did not hurt me at all, his grip was as strong as hard cement.  
  
"You know, I'm not ready for that sort of relationship..." He smiled as the dirt settled.  
  
"Hmph!" I uttered and he released me. I folded my arms like a disappointed, spoiled child.  
  
"Let's make a compromise, shall we? I'll take off my coat, if you take off yours." Vash half-joked. And it hit me; he too had never seen the figure beneath the covering of myself. In a ruffle of cloth, I hastily whipped my coat off as I got up. I stood straight up, with my hands on my hips.  
  
I wore a black sleeveless vest, with a large blouse-like collar. It was a V- neck with a silver zipper down the middle. I tapped my foot, expecting him to hold up the end of his own bargain.  
  
Vash was in a possessed-like trance... He was scaring me, I felt as though he was going to attack me, ripping the zipper-pull down my torso exposing my bra. But I was quicker than his actions... He actually lunged at me, but I shuffled to the side and tripped him. He lay on the ground with his arm stretched out in a reaching position. He sighed and limply plunked his head onto the ground.  
  
I laughed and sat on his back. "Your turn, slick." I again chuckled.  
  
Vash sighed, "Yeah, you're right... My you look awfully beautiful in that..."  
  
"That's nice, but you still gotta take your coat off..." I reminded. I rubbed my hands together... "It's the least you could do, you were squishing me the whole way to this overly large house."  
  
"I suppose your right, but one thing..." Vash dawdled.  
  
"Whaaat?!" I snapped.  
  
"Could you get off my back, please?" He requested.  
  
"Sorry." I apologized. I helped him to his feet. Vash proceeded to unbutton his coat. I tell you it was so exciting, like watching the end of a movie...  
  
I only watched a few movies when I lived with Cain. But they made me sad. They had parties of all sorts, I had never experienced: Birthdays, Halloween, Christmas, New Years, etc. Out of all of them, if I had to have one before I die, I would want one birthday. Just one. Is that so much to ask for? I don't want much, just a tiny little cake and a friend or two, and we could hangout and talk... That's it... But truthfully, I have no idea when my 'Birthday' is supposed to be... Oh well, I get to hang with Vash. Is that not enough? I cannot ask for more. I am not that selfish, conceited, greedy, and self-centered, like Cain. To him, nothing is ever enough.  
  
From this point on, I swear, Cain will be eradicated from any contact of my memory. I swear it.  
  
I looked at Vash, and simply smiled, in a sighed kind of way, like a disappointment, but it wasn't toward him, it was just at the moment, I had other things on my mind...  
  
"Hey, now! I did what you told me, I held up my end, why do still look so... discontented?" Vash questioned. I sighed,  
  
"It's not you, brother... It's my..." I dallied.  
  
"Your..." Vash rolled me on.  
  
"... Rambling mind. I can't think straight, the mixed thoughts all trying to talk above each other, its unceasing and its driving me insane... BIG sigh" I explained. Vash had a blanked look on his face.  
  
"Well, then......... Yes........ OK, well, you figure that out while both of us unpack. C'mon, we're gonna be here a week, so let's check out the place..." Vash suggested. That didn't sound like a bad idea either. He picked up his coat and put it back on and I just bunched mine up and threw it in a bag, which was situated on Midnight. I walked Midnight to the door and took my entire luggage off him. He shook like a relieved wet dog, and grunted.  
  
"Ma'am, you're gonna have to leave the thomas' outside the house." The little man instructed.  
  
"Alright... Sorry Midnight, sorry Chocolate." I apologized. Vash carried some of my luggage all through the house, while the two thomas' frolicked outside. The man introduced himself as "'Fillip' - With and 'F', not a 'Ph'." So Mr. Fillip it was then.  
  
I slept in a room adjacent to Vash's. That little pervert... Vash, I mean. You see, the 2nd day we 'lived' there, he took it upon himself to open the bathroom door, when he knew I was taking a shower. Luckily, he knocked a hot blow dryer onto his hand, and in doing so, he screamed and I poked my head out of the shower.  
  
You see, I am used to people creeping up on me when I'm taking a shower, so hearing someone scream, really didn't make me jump out of my skin and/or scream. I just calmly looked. It served him right. He ripped the dryer out of the socket, while he was frantically jumping around. He ran straight out of the bathroom. I went over and locked the door.  
  
Well, in the third day, Vash and I were wondering why were we here again. We knew we where here to body guard, but it was just a big empty house. So we asked Fillip...  
  
"Oh, how terribly rude of me! You see, I called for protection, because I will be having a birthday party in two days. I also got a note, which tells me something disastrous is going to happen, therefore, you two will wear these and be undercover bodyguards!" exclaimed Fillip. He handed me a silver dress, and Vash a tuxedo.  
  
Vash looked very unwilling, neither one of us wanted to play dress-up. Plus we had to act as inconspicuous guests... Fillip told us that there would be at least 300 other guests; so blending in wouldn't be so hard. Nonetheless, we still didn't want to be inconspicuous. It felt like a dirty thing to do... Why couldn't we be his official bodyguards and stick around him the whole time?  
  
What's worth more, your life, or social time? I think that's a little obvious. But I suppose when you are a lonely rich guy, you live for social events.  
  
So Vash and I walked back to our rooms, except he came in my room a bit later. I was trying to find a place to hide my gun in such a simple, form- fitting dress? That was weird that Fillip knew our clothes sizes.  
  
If I put my gun on my leg, there would be a weird looking, gun-shaped, lump, which is not by any means conspicuous. I could put it in my bra, but the gun is too big, and that is kinda sleazy. Lucky Vash, he got chest coat pockets. I held the dress up against my body in the mirror. I was getting frustrated, until broom-head waltzed in like he owned the place.  
  
"Have you ever heard of knocking?" I asked, throwing the dress on the bed.  
  
"Of course I have! But you are my sister, remember?" Vash asked.  
  
"Cut the crap." I demanded.  
  
"What's your problem, sis?" Vash doggedly asked.  
  
"We took a body guard job, not a modeling job. We shouldn't have to dress up." I said.  
  
"Well, we're getting paid aren't we? And besides, we're helping someone out, isn't that enough motive to dress up?" Vash sighed, unsure of himself. I threw a pillow at him.  
  
"Whatever, you know as well as I, this isn't in our 'contract'." I snapped. Fillip walked in. We falsely smiled.  
  
"Here, some shoes, and here is some small guns." Fillip handed us them and walked off. I got a pair of stiletto, strappy, silver, high-heeled shoes. 'Oh wonderful...' I thought sarcastically in my head. Vash got black dress shoes. The small silver little guns were almost a joke. There were 2. 'Still can't conceal 'em...' I thought.  
  
The day of the birthday arrived. Some people came and did my hair and make up. I told them about my issue with hiding the guns. They thought of it as 'no problem'. They came back with a cream lavender sash. It was 8" wide and two feet long. They wrapped the stiff fabric around my waist, and tied a bow in the back. It was like wearing a kimono. I slipped the mini guns in between the sash and the dress, in the front. It wasn't conspicuous, finally, and it was in easy reach.  
  
The shoes were as uncomfortable as being locked up in a box naked with Vash... Ok, maybe they weren't that uncomfortable, but standing up for too long was hell, I tell you. They did however give me a nice diamond necklace to put on my neck.  
  
I walked to Vash's room... The moron was still sleeping! I remembered his request of how he would like to be awoken... I complied. Halfway at least.  
  
"Vash, honey, it's time to get up, c'mon darling..." I shook him ever so gently. He cracked his eyes open. I went to go kiss him and he did not protest.  
  
"I must be in heaven..." He whispered. I placed my hand on his cheek. Before our lips made contact I slapped him, and hard.  
  
"Wakin' up time! Why the hell aren't you up?!" I'm already up! Get up you lazy good-for-nothing, loafing sack of crap! I am never late! Get up!" I shook him very hard. On a good day, I would've probably kissed him, but I was livid, about having to do so much extra work, and Vash wasn't helping our cause at all! What a blonde, contradicting moron. The last thing I wanted to do was to play dress-up and be spying body guards, the second I woke up, but I did, and Mr. 'we're helping someone out, isn't that enough motive to dress up?' wasn't pulling his weight and that pissed me off. I was mad about the other night, and this morning just added to my stress build-up. So Vash, I apologize.  
  
Vash jumped right out of his skin and ran to the bathroom to put on his tuxedo. I moaned and put my face in my hands. I heard the shower start. I contemplated running into the bathroom as he did I, but I wasn't going to stoop to that level. But I really wanted to make sure he was getting dressed. I've been known to do that, get woken up, go to the bathroom, turn on the shower to make it seem like I'm taking one, but I'm actually asleep on the floor... Heh...  
  
Knowing myself, I would've done that, so I wanted to make sure he was awake. No, I am not a pervert. I wanted to get the day over with as quick as possible. So I crept up to the door. The shower turned off, but the showers are automatic. They shut off after a while. I was skeptical. My shoes made it harder for me to creep up on him. They were killing me!  
  
After a good 7 minutes (damn) I finally reached the doorknob. Ironically, it was unlocked, just as mine had been when he decided to be a peeping tom. I burst into the bathroom... Vash was fixing the collar of his tuxedo. He was fully dressed. I sighed in a relieved manner.  
  
"Shall we then?" Vash asked in a deep mocking voice.  
  
"Yes, let's." I played along.  
  
"One second, darling, my hair needs to be done." He again mocked.  
  
"What are we, some rich couple?" I asked as he picked up a comb.  
  
"I prefer the term 'wealthy lovers'!" He bellowed. He began to spike his hair as he had always done.  
  
"Darling," I said through my teeth, "If we are going to such an elegant celebration, you should wear your hair in a different manner, hm?" I took the comb from him. I ran it through his gorgeous silky hair.  
  
You just can't stay mad at this guy! He's like a little abandoned kitten that just clawed up your sofa. It's so sweet and innocent and soft and loveable, you can't stay mad at it! You might scold it, but in a matter of seconds, it looks up with those big round eyes, and you forgive it, and cuddle it.  
  
Ok, maybe that was a bit too dramatic, because Vash isn't a kitten, but he just as might very well be! I felt like petting him. I must have gone insane by that point.  
  
I slicked his beautiful golden hair back. He was ranting about something, but I was lost in his cuteness... What am I saying? I must be still crazy.  
  
He now officially looked like some stuck-up rich guy! I guess that would make me his bitc -- I mean his good for nothing, tea serving, wife. Vash took my elbow.  
  
"We'll be off then." He said cheerfully.  
  
"That we will, dearest." I felt tension leaving me for some reason. I felt like cream... That is the best way I can describe the wave of sensation; cream, just creamy. We strut to the ballroom, where the party was being held. 


End file.
